The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-12-02
Toinette and the Tiger.
BY WALLACE p. REED.

uOmes bne Sulu.
Nonsense" replied LaRue, There
is no danger. These circus men are
always spreading some wild rumors
about the escape of lions and tigers.
They do 1t to advertise the show. You
are not afraid are you. ToinetteP"
Tonette. pretty girl of l6, tossed
her golden tresses with an air of dis
dain.
81 am not going out" she said,
land the tiger is not likely to come
into the house. Marie will demand all
my attention while you are gone"
Mr.. LaRue and his wife were on the
way to the village, some six miles dis
tant when this conversation took place.
For day or two the country people
had been somewhat excited over the
report that royal Bengal tiger had
escaped from the menagcrie attached
to the Great Western Circus. then ex-
hibiting at neighboring town, but
nothing definite could be learned, and
many agreed with LaRue that the story
was nothing but an advertising dodge.
Toinette watched her parents as they
drove off in buggy, and waved her
hand to them as they disappeared
around the bend in the road.
The girl was strickenly fair and deli
cate for farmers daughter. Her
vivacity. inherited doubtless with her
French blood, were all that saved her
from being doll-like beauty, with her
pink and white complexion and hair
like spun gold,
''Toinette! Toinette" yelled the baby
sister, bright little 3-year-old, won't
90 tum and play cirky ?"
Marie had never seen a circus, but
she had heard all about it, and on this
particular morning she had brought
out her collection of toys, and was de-
termined to get up Monster Aggre-
cation of Wonders" that would rival
those advertised by the Great Western.
Toinettc saw that she was in for it.
'Let me see II the coast is clear!'
he exclaimed, as she ran to the front
door.
There was nothing in sight on the
lonely road. and not a human figure
was to be seen in the fields surrounding
The house.
Alone in this solitude, with the near
sst neighbor a mile away. the girl for
moment yielded to slight nervous
ness. Then she shrugged her shoulders
A her French way and laughed.
'This Is picnic for Marie" she
,aid, land l suppose l must assist her
IN turning the house upside down."
For an hour or so the two had a
delightful romp. The family cat was
harnessed to little wagon and made
to trot around an imaginary ring until.
revolving in high dudgeon, she tore
herself loose from the harness, and fed
10 the woods. All of the playthings
we're utilized in turn, until finally
Marie threw them petulantly away,
and clamored for new pleasure.
1t was no slight task to amuse this
spoiled child. but Toinette was good
uatured, and nothing delighted her
more than frolc. After everything
Else had been tried she thought OF one
resource that had never been known
TO fail.
"Now let's blow bubbles" she
suggested.
A scream of pleasure from Marie
showed that no better scheme could
have been devised.
In another moment the two had
established themselves at the end of
The back piazza, with big bowl Of
'uds and couple of clay pipes.
The servants had been given a holt
day on account of the circus, and
perfect silence reigned with the ex-
,eption of the shouts raised BY Toinette
and Marie when an unusually large
bubble floated upward like gorgeous
little balloon.
Toinette had all child's fancy for
yaudy colors, and she found herself
watching the prismatic hues of the big
bubbles with intense interest.
A low growl disturbed her. and
caused her to look around.
big cat" said Marie. cheap big
germ our cat Amt she p'ittyP"
Toinette's blood froze with terror as
she turned her head.
On the piazza, between the girls and
he back door stood q royal Bengal